Loose-leaf binder or file



W. F. DUNNING- LOOSE LEAF BINDER 0R FILE; APPLICATION FILED AUG-24, 1920.

ZLAQLBW.

.6 y 2 2 n 91 4 m F. mm m m m W a 7 D1 2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

Patented July 4, 1922s awuom W. F. DUNNING. LOOSE LEAF BINDER 0R FILE. APPLICATION FI'LED AUG-24, I920.

WILLIAM FRED DUNNING, or wasnmerpn, DISTRIO'I" OF COLUMBIA.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER OR. FILE.

amas.

To all whom itynag concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM FRED DUN- NING, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Im-' provement in Loose-Leaf Binders 01 Files, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to loose leaf binders or files and more particularly to a device of this character which is automatic.

In carrying out my invention I so arrange the parts thereof that when open the opposed binding posts or pins which are car ried by the back will be sufliciently removed from one another to enable easy access there to so that the leaves or cards can be easily positioned upon the binding posts.

Another important feature of this invention is the provision of straight pins rather than the curved ones now in use in devices of this type. I am enabled to use straight binding posts or pins because of the peculiar arrangement and construction of the back of the binder.

A binder constructed in accordance with my invention is practically fool proof inasmuch as the. device cannot be locked orsecured in closed position without the. prongs being properly positioned to enter the aligned apertures in the cards or leaves.

Another feature of this invention is the means whereby I am enabled to secure the binder in half closed on" half locked position in which position one set of the binding posts or pins are positioned substantially verti cally to enable the cardsor leaves to be filed thereon. The binder may be thereafter com- I pletely closed, in which position the cards position.

will be locked securely between the opposed sets of binding posts.

Many other objects will be made more ap-' parent in the specification and drawings,.in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the binder in half open Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patenteddfuly 4,1922.

Application filed August 24, 1920. Serial No. 405,648.

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section of the binder in closed or locked position.

Fig. 7 is a view taken on line 7-7 of Fig.

Fig. 8 is a view taken on line 88 of Fig.

"17, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a binding post.

' In the drawings the numeral 10 represents the two covers of the binder which may be constructed of any type of material embodying the proper rigidity and is here illustrated as card board.

Lying adjacent one end of each of the cover pleces 10 is a binding strip 11, preferably of metal, and these metallic binding strips are adapted to be secured to the covers 10 by a fabric covering 12 thereby providing a flexible connection between the covers and these rigid metal strips 11. a

The fabric extends beyond the two strips 11 and encloses a piece of'stifi'ening material forming a semi-flexible back covering 13 which suitably encas'esthe metallic hinge, to be more fully hereinafter described.

Rigidly-secured to the strips 11 are postcarrying plates 14. These plates 14 are preferably fastened to the strips 11 by means of rivets -15. Formed upon the inner edges of these members 14 are bent tongues 16 forming one part of a hinge-like connection between them and the back proper of the binder which also will be more fully here-, inafter described. I

, Extending transversely of the binder and positioned through the curved lips 16 are binding rods 17. These binding rods 17 also operatlvely engage bent lips-18 formed upon the outer edges of a back hinge 19.

This back hinge is composed of two arcshaped plates which are hingedly secured together as at 20. When the binder is in, closed position these two members have a cross sectional shape which is substantially a half circle thereby providing the appearance of finished binding.

From the structure described thus far it will be apparent that the-cover pieces 10 by reason of the strips 14 and the back members 19 provide a binder capable of operating in a manner similar to the usual type of binders now employed.

Mounted upon the post carrying plates 14 are straight binding posts or pins 21. These posts are arranged in sets of two, the

sets being staggered'with respect to one another to enable them to enter a series of transversely disposed apertures in the cards or leaves which they engage. By referring more particularly to Fig. 9 the particular manner in which these posts are secured in place will be illustrated. The post carrying strips 14 have formed thereon binding lips 22, while the post 21 carries arecess 23. The post 211s provided with screw threads 24 to engage a screw threaded aperture in the metallic strips 11. By this construction 7 it is obvious that the binding posts 21 may be screw-threaded into the strip 11 and when they have been given a suflicient number of turns to position the recess 23 opposite the lip 22, this lip which has been previ- I stood that the binding post 21 may be se- I latch members 27 and 28 respectively. The purpose of these latches willbe more fully cured in position in any suitable manner such as by riveting or welding themto the strip 11. It is also apparent that even if the posts 21 became loose and rotated slightly, they would still be in position to enter the apertures in the cards orjleaves. This particular feature of the straight post is agreat advantage over the curved binding posts or pins universally used. in binders inasmuch as when the curved binding posts become slightly rot-atably displaced their outer ends are thrown out of alignment and will not enter the apertures of the cards orsheetsa The inner edges of the members 14 are provided with right angular projections 25 and 26 respectively terminating in angular hereinafter described. Hingedlymounted upon the transverse and '17 are link carrying-members 29. At

one end of the binder are a. pair-of links30 pivotally secured together atone of their ends, as at 31, each link having its free end pivotally mounted to the link-carrying members 29. 'Disposed at the other end of the binder is a pair of double links 32 pivotally'secured together as at 33 having. their free ends overlapping the link-carrying members 29 andpivotally. secured thereto, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1. The linkcarrying membersare cut away, as at 34,

to accommodate the pivot 33of these links when the binder is tion. I W 7 Springs'35 having their ends' secured to the link-carrying members 29, as at 36, tend to normallyhold the binder inopenposition, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Slidably mounted upon one of the linkin closed or locked posicarrying members 29 is a latch member 37- which carries a latch 38 and terminates at through which pass studs 41 to thereby slidably mount this latch member upon the member 29. A spring 42 having its ends secured respectively to the latch member and a. link-carrying member 29 retains the latchmember normally to the. left in Fig. 8, or in locked position. The latch maybe released by .pressure inwardly upon the thumb piece 39.

Rigidly secured upon the rear face of the upper link-carrying member 29 is a stud or keeper 43 adapted to engage the notch 44 of the latch 38 when the binder is in closed or locked position, as illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. The latch 38 is also provided with a beveled surface 45 which will ride past latching members 27 and 28 with the sliding latch member 37. This locking'will take place, however, only when the binder is folded into horizontal position to place the latch members 27 and 28 in position to be engaged by the latch 38. This position is illustrated clearly in Fig. 5. In this position the studs 21 are in their proper oppositely disposedpositions and in alignment to enter the apertures in the cards or leaves. Thereafter when in locked position they will be disposed, as illustrated in Fig 7, with the binding posts engaging the apertures in the cards or sheets.

position to facilitate the positioning of the sheets or cards thereon.

is obvious that the engagement of the latches 27 and 28 is brought about by their notched edges engaging the vertical face 46 It is ofttimes desirable to arrange one set of binding posts in a substantially vertical of the latchmember 38. Each of the stationary latch members 27 and 28 are provided with beveled edges which, when they engage the slidable-latch'member 37, will move the same against the tension of spring 42 and thereafter allow the slidable" latch to snap into locking position.-

. The cards areindicated by the letter C and are dotted in several views to more 1 clearly illustrate the operation of the binder. In Fig. 1 the binder is in what is termed half'locked position, in which position the latch 27 carried by the lower I sliding latch member 37. WVith the lower strip 14 secured in this position the lower binding posts 21 asume a vertical position which will thereby enable the leaves or sheets to be easily positioned upon the posts. In

this view it will be noted that the-other sec-.

tion of the binder with its cover 10, member 14 and binding posts 21, are raised and out of the way. If, thereafter the binder is to be locked and the cards or sheets secured in place, the upper section of the binder with the posts 21 is swung to the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the member 14 carrying the upper binding posts swinging with the transverse rod 17 as a pivot. In this position the binding posts 21 are disposed parallel which will enable them to enter the apertures in the cards or sheets. The latch member 28 has .also been moved to a horizontal position in which position it is adapted to also engage the vertical face 46 of the latch 38. If, thereafter pressure is applied vertically upon the binder to compress the springs 35, the binder will be made to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 7 in which position the notch 44 of the latch 38 engages the stud 43 carried by the upper link carrying member' 29 while the latch 28 engages the vertical face 46 of latch 38 in a manner similar to that of the latch 27. In this position the two sets of oppositely disposed binding posts or pins 21 are in engagement with the apertures of the cards or sheets and any vertical displacement thereof is prevented by reason of the sliding latch 37 which will remain in locked position by reason of the spring 42. When the binder.

is to be opened this maybe accomplished by pressure upon the thumb piece 39 of the sliding latch member 37 This pressure will thereupon cause movementv of the latch member 37 to the left, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4, thereby disengaging the stud 43, and also the latches 27 and 28. The springs 35 will thereupon force the back of the binder apart to the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

By forming one set of the links 32 in pairs which straddle the link-carrying members 29 I am enabled to materially strengthen the back of the binder and form thereof a rigid and durable structure.

The binding pins 21 will never get out of proper alignment by reason of independent rotation thereof as is quite obvious. This is a distinct advantage over the curved pins now universally in use.

It should also be noted that the two sections of the back carrying the studs or pins 21 cannot be locked; into position unless the pins 31 are in proper alignment, inasmuch as the latches 27 and 29 are respectively rigidly secured to the members upon which the studs are mounted and only when'the pins 21 are in proper alignment to enter the aper= tures in the cards 0, will the latch members be in position to be engaged by the sliding operating parts of this device nor deface or mutilate the sheets or cards by attempting to close and lock the device without the pins 21 being properly positioned in the apertures of the cards.

It is obvious that instead of the springs 35 and 42 I- may substitute coiled, or any other type of spring.

The dimensions of this binder; may be changed to meet the varied requirements inasmuch as this invention is applicable to binders of any size. The operating parts of the back may be further suitably encased if desired. Various modifications and departures from the specific form of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and I particularly reserve this right.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. Ina device of the class described a pair of side-sections, a back hingedly uniting said side sections, latches carried by said side sections, straight binding posts projecting from said side sections, and automatic means co operating with said latches for retaining the binding posts in closed position.

2. A temporary binder comprising a pair of side members, post-carrying members secured to said side members, a back hingedly connected to said post-carrying members, straight binding posts projecting from said post-carrying members, angularly disposed latches projecting from said post-carrying members, and a cooperating latch adapted to engage said angularly disposed latches when said binding posts are in their closed position, to retain the binding posts in their operative position.

3. A device of the class described comprising a pair of rigid side members, a spring back hingedly connected to each of said side members, binding posts carried by the side members, latches carried by the side members, and a spring latch member adapted to engage the latches carried by the side members to retain the binding posts in operative position.

4. A temporary binder comprising two rigid sides, binding post-s carried by said side members, plates secured to said sides through which said binding posts project, a back hingedly connected to said plates, springs adapted to normally force said side members apart, intermediate connecting members secured to said side plates, said springs being attached to said members, a latch projecting from each plate, a slidable latch member positioned to engage both of 'said latches when the posts are in closed latch 38. Hence a novice cannot injure the locked with its posts in closed positiomsubstantially as described.

5. A temporary binder comprising two rigid sides, plates secured to said sides, binding posts passing through said plates and secured to" said sides, a back hingedly engaging said plates and connecting said sides, atches carried by said plates, link-carrying members secured to said back, links pivotally engaging said link-carrying members,

'spring means secured to said link-carrying members for forcing said sides apart, a latch member slidably mounted on one of said link carrying members and adapted to engage said latches. 6. A temporary scribed comprising tWo rigid sides, plates secured to said sides, binding posts passing through said plates and screw-threaded into said sides, tongues formed on said plates and adapted to engage recesses insaid posts to binder of the class deretain them in position, a back hingedly connected to said plates, link-carrying members secured to said back, two sets oflinks Eivotally engaging said link-carrying memers, one set of links being so disposed as to straddle the link-carrying members when the binder is in closed position, spring means carried by said link-carrying members tending to normally force said side members 30 the tension of said spring means.

WILLIAM FRED DUNNING.- 

